Our Partnership
by cherisheachother
Summary: "Booth, she thinks she's a burden to you. She's thinking of leaving."


A loud, piercing sound forced Booth from his fitful sleep. His head was so foggy he didn't even consider reaching for his gun. Before he could identify it as his doorbell, he heard his front door open and slam shut.

_What the hell?_ Okay, now he was reaching for his gun. He stumbled from his bed, steadying himself on the wall.

As he was about to turn the corner and take on his intruder, a voice filled his apartment.

"Booth, get in here. I'm talking, and you're listening." _Angela? How did she even-? _

Bewildered, he put down his gun and entered his kitchen. Angela was pacing back and forth.

"Sit down, Booth. I came all the way here, so you're going to listen to what I have to say. Do not interrupt me. By the way, nice fake rock." The hostility in her tone shocked him.

Booth sat, unsure of what else to do. He could see conflicting emotions in her eyes, and it was clear she was having difficulty deciding what to say. Or so he thought.

"Booth, you were the best thing that happened to Brennan. You took her out of the lab, you taught her so many things she desperately wanted to know, and you cared about her. You actually cared. She needed that, you know? Someone that knew her; all of her, and didn't leave. You were her rock. I don't care about what happened between you and Hannah." Angela advanced towards him. "I don't give a damn what happened. All I know is that you gave Brennan an ultimatum concerning your partnership. Do you know what the most important thing in the world to Brennan is? It's your partnership. And amidst your self-pity, you actually asked her if she would like to sever it. When she told me what you said, Booth? I've never seen her like that. She was insulted that you would even present her with the option of leaving. You made her doubt herself. She thinks that you wanted her to choose the other option. She thinks that she's a burden to you. I know she would not want me telling you all this, but you need to fix this, Booth. She's thinking of leaving."

Booth felt like his entire body had gone numb. She thought he _wanted_ to get her a new FBI guy? How had he managed to screw this up so badly? God, she could never be a burden to him. He couldn't even see how- Suddenly his heart stopped.

"She's leaving?"

As Booth nodded to the doorman on the way up to her apartment, his gut twisted as he found he couldn't recall the man's name. He used to stop and talk sports with him, and occasionally tell him about Parker. And now he didn't even remember his name.

As he approached her door, he could feel the anxiety rolling off him in waves. It had been so long. He nearly considered turning around and heading home, but he remembered Angela's words. _She thinks she's a burden to you. She's thinking of leaving. _He stepped forward and knocked.

When the door opened, his breath left his lungs with a huge whoosh. She stood there in a pale blue floor-length dress with her hair all done up in a sexy, messy bun. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw it was him.

Booth closed his jaw and cleared his throat. "Uh, hey Bones, I was just stopping by but I can see you have somewhere to be so I'll just, uh, I'll just leave." He turned around and headed for the stairs as his face burned. Of course she had a date. She should. She sure as hell wouldn't be waiting for him. Not after the way he'd treated her.

He made it to the fourth step before he heard her voice.

"Booth, wait! You can- ouch. Damnit" He turned to find her hobbling down the hallway, holding a shoe with a broken heel. Despite the embarrassment he still felt, he grinned.

"Need some help, there Bones?" He watched her find her balance, and then frown at him.

"Of course not. I doubt you are skilled in the area of shoe repair, anyhow." After a moment of awkward silence she gestured towards her apartment.

"Would you like to come in? I just have this awards dinner later that I am required to attend. Apparently I am receiving an award." Booth let out a breath of air that he hadn't realized he'd been holding. _She doesn't have a date. _

With Angela's words still running through his mind, he grew somber. "Bones, I need to talk to you."

At this she drew back visibly. Was that fear he saw on her face? Sometime over the past few months he had lost his ability to read her emotions. "Okay." He followed her back to her apartment, trying to ignore the smooth expanse of skin on display. The back of that dress was sinful.

"I'm sorry Booth, I haven't restocked my refrigerator with that beer you like. Would you like water?"

He shoved the feeling of shame into the back of his mind. He hadn't had a beer at her apartment in over a year. Of course she hadn't restocked it. "No thanks, Bones. I just want to talk right now." He walked to the couch and sat down before standing back up. "Angela told me you're leaving."

Brennan's eyes grew wide. She stared at him, trying to gauge his mood. "No. No! I'm not leaving, Booth. You heard me in the bar. I'm not leaving. I chose to stay and be your partner." Her face grew dark as she seemed to come to some kind of realization. "Is that why you came? To talk about my decision to stay that night?"

Booth nodded. "It seems you misunderstood me."

Her face betrayed no emotion, save for the shining of tears in her eyes. "No, I understood you. You don't have to say anything else. You can leave. You don't have to finish this conversation. I know how uncomfortable you must feel right now."

Booth growled in frustration. "No, Bones, stop. You're missing the point." She suddenly became angry, shoving him towards the door. "Just get out, Booth."

He grabbed her hands and held them tight against his chest. With one step, his body was inches from hers. Her breathing became shallow, and he found he was all too aware of their close proximity. He leaned closer and spoke.

"When I gave you that ultimatum, I was wrong. I was so wrong Bones, and God, if I could take it back I would. You know I was drunk but that's no excuse. I never should have put our partnership on the line like that. It means too much to me." He swallowed. "You mean too much to me."

Brennan was still staring at him, a look of disbelief on her face. As she began to speak, he put a finger on her lips.

"One more thing. If you think you're a burden for me, then I am ashamed of myself. Ashamed that I have let it get to the point where it seemed like you were some kind of hindrance. Jesus, Bones. Without you I'd be working in some cubicle on traffic violations. If anyone is a burden here, it's me."

Brennan shook her head violently, but Booth would still not let her talk.

"I guess I came over here to tell you that I apologize for giving you an ultimatum about our partnership. It is inexcusable. And I know that you would never walk away from what we have as partners."

He realized how close he was still standing to her, and he gently backed away. Before he could make an excuse to leave, Brennan laid a hand on his arm.

"Thank you, Booth. I realize that you must have spoken with Angela, but I find I am not bothered by this fact. I am lucky to have friends that care about me. Although, I am unclear as to why she told you I was leaving. I never mentioned that to her, and I have no immediate plans to leave. I am not sure why she would say such an absurd thing to you. However- " Here she paused, hesitant to continue.

"Booth, I find that I am having a rather difficult time trusting you. Not with my life, because you know I have always trusted you with that. But, with my heart. And I know that it is impossible for you to be in possession of my heart, but you were. And now I am unsure as to if I should trust you with it again."

Brennan watched an initial flicker of hurt cross his features, but then his face softened. He stepped closer and took her hand.

"Bones, I did everything to make you not trust me. I ignored you, I skipped out on lunches, and I never visited the lab. I became a different person with Hannah; someone that didn't deserve your trust. But I am working to find myself again, and I think that with your help, I can do it."

For the first time since Booth entered her apartment, a beautiful smile broke out on Brennan's face.

"I'd like to help you with that."


End file.
